napoleon bonaparte, v11-第4节

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General　Woronzow；　　the　Prussian　corps　under　the　orders　of　General　Billow；
and　the　Swedish　army；　break　themselves　to　pieces　against　his　impregnable
defenses。

So　much　valor　was　nevertheless　at　last　compelled　to　yield　to　numbers；　and
above　all　to　treachery；　for　at　the　height　of　the　combat　before　the　gates
of　Leipzig；　a　battalion　from　Baden；　which　until　then　had　fought　valiantly
in　the　French　ranks；　suddenly　abandoned　the　gate　Saint…Peter；　which　it
was　commissioned　to　defend；　and　at　the　entrance　to　the　city　gave　itself
up　to　the　enemy。　　Thereupon；　according　to　what　I　have　heard　related　by
several　officers　who　were　in　this　terrible　tumult；　the　streets　of　Leipzig
presented　a　most　horrible　sight；　and　our　soldiers；　now　compelled　to
retire；　could　do　so　only　by　disputing　every　step　of　the　ground。　　An
irreparable　misfortune　soon　filled　the　Emperor's　soul　with　despair。

I　shall　now　relate　the　events　which　signalized　this　deplorable　day　just
as　my　memory　recalls　them。　　I　do　not　know　to　what　cause　to　attribute　it；
but　none　of　the　many　stirring　events　which　I　witnessed　present　themselves
more　distinctly　before　my　mind　than　a　scene　which　took　place　under　the
walls　of　Leipzig。　　Having　triumphed　over　incredible　obstacles；　we　at　last
succeeded　in　crossing　the　Elster　on　the　bridge　at　the　mill　of　Lindenau。
I　can　still　see　the　Emperor　as　he　stationed　officers　along　the　road
charged　to　indicate　to　stragglers　where　they　might　rejoin　their
respective　commands。　　On　this　day；　after　the　immense　loss　sustained　owing
to　a　disparity　of　numbers；　he　showed　the　same　solicitude　concerning
everything　as　after　a　decisive　triumph。　　But　he　was　so　overcome　by
fatigue　that　a　few　moments　of　sleep　became　absolutely　necessary；　and　he
slept　profoundly　under　the　noise　of　the　cannon　which　thundered　around　him
on　all　sides。　　Suddenly　a　terrible　explosion　occurred；　and　a　few　moments
after　the　King　of　Naples　entered　his　Majesty's　barrack　accompanied　by
Marshal　Augereau。　　They　brought　sad　news…the　great　bridge　over　the　Elster
had　just　been　blown　up。　　This　was　the　last　point　of　communication　with
the　rear　guard；　which　consisted　of　twenty　thousand　men　now　left　on　the
other　side　of　the　river　under　the　command　of　Marshal　Macdonald。　　〃This；
then；　is　how　my　orders　are　executed！〃　exclaimed　the　Emperor；　clasping　his
head　between　his　hands。　　He　remained　a　moment　buried　in　thought　and
absorbed　in　his　own　reflections。

The　fact　was；　his　Majesty　had　given　orders　to　undermine　all　the　bridges
over　the　Elster　and　have　them　blown　up；　but　not　until　after　the　French
army　had　crossed　the　river　in　safety。　　I　have　since　heard　this　event
discussed　from　many　points　of　view；　and　have　read　many　contradictory
accounts。　　It　is　not　my　province　to　shed　light　on　a　point　of　history
which　forms　such　a　subject　of　controversy；　and　I　have　consequently
limited　myself　to　relating　as　I　have　done　only　what　came　within　my　own
knowledge。　　Nevertheless；　I　may　be　permitted　to　make　to　my　readers　one
simple　observation　which　presents　itself　to　my　mind　whenever　I　read　or
hear　it　said　that　the　Emperor　himself　had　the　bridge　blown　up　in　order　to
shelter　himself　from　the　enemy's　pursuit。　　I　ask　pardon　for　such　an
expression；　but　this　supposition　appeared　to　me　an　absurdity　so
incredible　as　to　surpass　belief；　for　it　is　very　evident　that　if　under
these　disastrous　circumstances　he　could　think　only　of　his　own　personal
safety；　he　would　not　a　short　time　before　have　voluntarily　prolonged　his
stay　in　the　palace　of　the　King　of　Saxony；　where　he　was　exposed　to　much
more　imminent　danger　than　he　could　have　encountered　after　leaving
Leipzig。　　Moreover；　the　Emperor　was　far　from　enjoying　the　consternation
which　struck　him　when　he　learned　that　twenty　thousand　of　his　brave
soldiers　were　separated　from　him　perhaps　forever。

How　many　misfortunes　were　the　inevitable　results　of　the　destruction　of
the　last　bridge　on　the　road　from　Leipzig　to　Lindenau！　　And　how　many　deeds
of　heroism；　the　greater　part　of　which　will　remain　forever　unknown；　mark
this　disaster！　　Marshal　Macdonald；　seeing　himself　separated　from　the
army；　plunged　on　horseback　into　the　Elster；　and　was　fortunate　enough　to
reach　the　other　bank；　but　General　Dumortier；　attempting　to　follow　his
intrepid　chief；　disappeared　and　perished　in　the　waves　with　a　great　number
of　officers　and　soldiers；　for　all　had　sworn　not　to　surrender　themselves
to　the　enemy；　and　it　was　only　a　small　number　who　submitted　to　the　cruel
necessity　of　being　made　prisoners。　　The　death　of　Prince　Poniatowski
caused　intense　sorrow　in　the　heart　of　the　Emperor；　and　it　may　be　said
that　every　one　at　headquarters　was　deeply　distressed　at　the　loss　of　our
Polish　hero；　and　all　were　eager　to　learn　the　particulars　of　so　grievous
and　irreparable　a　misfortune。　　As　was　well　known；　his　Majesty　had　given
him　orders　to　cover　the　retreat　of　the　army；　and　all　felt　that　the
Emperor　could　not　have　bestowed　this　trust　more　worthily。　　It　is　related
that　seeing　himself　pressed　by　the　enemy　against　the　bank　of　the　river；
with　no　means　of　crossing；　he　was　heard　to　say　to　those　around　him；
〃Gentlemen；　here　we　must　die　with　honor！〃　　It　is　added　that　putting　into
practice　this　heroic　resolution　he　swam　across　the　waters　of　the　Pleisse
in　spite　of　the　wounds　he　had　received　in　the　stubborn　combat　he　had
sustained　since　morning。　　Then　finding　no　longer　any　refuge　from
inevitable　captivity；　except　in　the　waters　of　the　Elster；　the　brave
prince　had　thrown　himself　into　it　without　considering　the　impassable
steepness　of　the　opposite　bank；　and　in　a　few　moments　he　with　his　horse
was　ingulfed　beneath　the　waves。　　His　body　was　not　found　until　five　days
afterwards；　and　then　drawn　from　the　water　by　a　fisherman。　　Such　was　the
end；　both　deplorable　and　glorious；　of　one　of　the　most　brilliant　and
chivalrous　of　officers；　who　showed　himself　worthy　to　rank　among　the
foremost　French　generals。　　Meanwhile　the　lack　of　ammunition　compelled　the
Emperor　to　retire　promptly；　although　in　remarkably　good　order；　to　Erfurt；
a　town　well　furnished　with　both　provisions　and　forage；　as　well　as
material　for　arming　and　equipping　the　army；in　fact　with　all　the
materials　of　war。　　His　Majesty　arrived　on　the　23d；　having　engagements
each　day；　in　order　to　protect　his　retreat　against　forces　four　or　five
times　as　numerous　as　those　remaining　at　his　disposal。　　At　Erfurt　the
Emperor　remained　only　two　days；　and　left　on　the　25th　after　bidding　adieu
to　his　brother…in…law　the　King　of　Naples；　whom　he　was　never　to　see　again。
I　witnessed　a　part　of　this　last　interview；　and　remarked　a　certain
constraint　in　the　manner　of　the　King　of　Naples；　which；　however；　his
Majesty　seemed　not　to　perceive。　　It　is　true　that　the　king　did　not
announce　his　immediate　departure；　and　his　Majesty　was　ignorant　that　this
prince　had　secretly　received　an　Austrian　general。

　　　　　＇This　was　Count　Mier；　charged　to　guarantee　to　Murat　the　possession
　　　　　of　his　kingdom　if　he　abandoned　the　cause　of　the　Emperor。　　He
　　　　　abandoned　him。　　What　did　he　gain？NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇

His　Majesty　was　not　informed　of　this　until　afterwards；　and　manifested
little　surprise。　　Moreover　（I　call　attention　to　this　because　I　so　often
had　occasion　to　remark　it）；　so　many　severe　blows　repeated　in　such　quick
succession　had　struck　the　Emperor　for　some　time　past；　that　he　seemed　to
have　become　almost　insensible；　and　it　might　well　have　been　said　that　he
felt　himself　perfectly　intrenched　in　his　ideas　of　fatality。
Nevertheless；　his　Majesty；　though　unmoved　under　his　own　misfortunes；　gave
full　vent　to　his　indignation　on　learning　that　the　allied　sovereigns
considered　the　King　of　Saxony　as　their　prisoner；　and　had　declared　him　a
traitor；　simply　because　he　was　the　only　one　who　had　not　betrayed　him。
Certainly　if　fortune　had　again　become　favorable　to　him；　as　in　the　past；
the　King　of　Saxony　would　have　found　himself　master　of　one　of　the　most
extensive　kingdoms　of　Europe；　but　fortune　was　hereafter　to　be　always
adverse；　and　even　our　victories　brought　us　only　a　barren　glory。

Thus；　for　instance；　the　French　army　soon　covered　itself　with　glory　at
Hanau；　through　which　it　was　necessary　to　pass　by　overwhelming　the　immense
army　of　Austrians　and　Bavarians　collected　at　this　point　under　the　command
of　General　Wrede。　　Six　thousand　prisoners　were　the　result　of　this
triumph；　which　at　the　same　time　opened　to　us　the　road　to　Mayence；　which
we　expected　to　reach　without　other　obstacles。　　It　was　on　the　2d　of
November；　after　a　march　of　fourteen　days　from　Leipzig；　that　we　again
beheld　the　banks　of　the　Rhine；　and　felt　that　we　could　breathe　in　safety。

Having　devoted　five　days　to　reorganizing　the　army；　giving　his　orders；　and
assigning　to　each　of　the　marshals　and　chiefs　of　the　several　corps　the
post　he　was　to　occupy　during　his　absence；　the　Emperor　left　Mayence　on　the
7th；　and　on　the　9th　slept　at　Saint…Cloud；　to　which　he　returned　preceded
by　a　few　trophies；　as　both　at　Erfurt　and　Frankfort　we　had　taken　twenty
banners　from　the　Bavarians。　　These　banners；　presented　to　the　minister　of
war　by　M。　Lecouteux　aide…de…camp　to　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel；　had　preceded
his　Majesty's　arrival　in　Paris　by　two　days；　and　had　already　been
presented　to　the　Empress；　to　whom　the　Emperor　had　done　homage　in　the
followin